Today we are asked to choose what is important in our lives. We are invited to choose Jesus Christ as the most important person in our life, as our Savior and as our Redeemer. Lots of us choose Him but don't do very much with our choice. It can be a choice that totally transforms our life or a choice that we never put into effect in our daily living.

The first reading is from the Book of Daniel. This reading reflects the longing of our ancestors in the faith for a God who was present to them and who protected them and before whom, eventually, all nations and peoples would be present and accountable. There are days when we might want such a God simply in order to enforce our own ideals and values on the world. The challenge for us is that we must represent God in the world and strive to bring about true values and human choices when our world seems to seek mostly power, pleasure and economic means.

The second reading today is from the Book of Revelation. This book is filled with images of the end times and of God as ruler of all. In this particular passage today, we have almost a repeat of the Book of Daniel. Instead of longing for this in the future, the Book of Revelation tells us that it is happening and will be complete soon. You and I don't see the hand of God and yet these authors insist that God is always at work in our world and arranging things according to His plans. When this book states: Behold, he is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, it is clear that the author is referring to Jesus. Jesus is our king and the ruler of all.

The Gospel of John today immediately corrects our impressions that the rule of Jesus as Lord will be something triumphant in the human sense. Rather, Jesus will rule from the Cross, Jesus will rule from overcoming death, Jesus will rule because He has suffered for us. This Gospel, and the others, break our ideas of what kind of rule the Kingdom of Heaven will be.

This God who loves us in Christ Jesus and who has made Jesus king of all, shows us that ruling others is serving them as a slave, as one who takes all of their burdens on himself and who is willing to die for others. We can all say: Live, Christ our King! Viva, Cristo Rey! This is a king who comes in humility to save us from ourselves.

Readings of the day:
First Reading: Daniel 7.13-14
Second Reading: Revelation 1.5-8
Gospel: John 18.33b-37